It may be some time before we encounter a college football coaching carousel similar to what we’ve just experienced.
More than 30 new head coaches were either hired or elevated, with 17 from the Power 4 conferences. The Lane Kiffin saga was, even by Kiffinian standards, quite dramatic and tumultuous. There were significant financial transactions and internal promotions — a flurry of activity from midseason through December.
However, the chaos appears to be settling (or so we believe). Even within this extraordinary carousel, some statistics and figures shine brighter than others. Below are some of the most captivating and significant numbers from the 2025-26 college football coaching carousel.
$54,000,000: Brian Kelly’s buyout
During a frantic period marked by numerous firings — and consequently, buyouts — no coach’s exit was as costly as Brian Kelly’s. When he was dismissed by LSU, Kelly’s buyout stood at $54 million — a sum he will receive in full following a brief disagreement.
What could you do with $54 million? You could purchase Michael Jordan’s legendary Chicago mansion five times and still have some cash left. Alternatively, you could buy 14 2026 Ferrari F80s. Or, for a single extravagant purchase, you might consider a 63.5-meter yacht.
66: Kyle Whittingham’s age
This cycle saw teams generally favor younger coaches — 81% of hires or promotions were below the age of 50, with an average age of 42.6 years for the 17 Power 4 coaches — but a significant exception was made. Michigan selected 66-year-old Kyle Whittingham, who recently stepped down after 22 seasons in charge of Utah, to assume control in Ann Arbor. Prior to this new role, Whittingham’s last position outside of Utah was as a 34-year-old defensive coordinator at Idaho State in the early 1990s.
Bonus points for disregarding age also go to Colorado State, which opted for Jim Mora Jr., 64, following his successful tenure at UConn. Whittingham and Mora Jr. were the only coaches over 56 newly hired this offseason. Oklahoma, Notre Dame, USC, and more continued to experience a similar trend with only 29 new head coaches taking positions.
23: Players following Matt Campbell to Penn State (and counting)
In the era of the transfer portal, hiring a new head coach often means acquiring not just a new leader but also a fresh group of players.
This was true for Penn State. After a 58-day search that included, among other surprises, the involvement of Crumbl cookies, Penn State positioned Iowa State’s Matt Campbell as the new coach at Beaver Stadium. However, Campbell did not come alone; as of now, 23 former Cyclones have chosen to join the Nittany Lions through the transfer portal alongside Campbell.
Consequently, Iowa State has similarly benefited by replenishing its roster. As of now, 15 former players from Washington State have followed Campbell’s replacement at Iowa State, Jimmy Rogers, to Ames.
6: Internal promotions
It’s not necessary for every new coach to be an outsider. Sometimes, the next head coach is already part of the organization.
Six universities found their new leader by promoting from within, with the advancements at Kent State, Ole Miss, Southern Miss, Tulane, UAB, and Utah occurring under various circumstances. Pete Golding, who made his head coaching debut in the College Football Playoff after being hired following Lane Kiffin’s departure for LSU, and Morgan Scalley, a longtime assistant to Whittingham at Utah and coach-in-waiting for the Utes since the summer of 2024, are among those who ascended to their new roles from lower positions.
As Kiffin’s exit from Ole Miss became apparent, culminating a weeks-long saga, frantic movements were also happening elsewhere in the conference.
Three new coaching appointments were confirmed before Sunday morning: Ryan Silverfield at Arkansas, Alex Golesh at Auburn, and Jon Sumrall at Florida. The confirmations of Golesh’s and Silverfield’s respective moves were so close that ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported both hires in a single alert notification.
Later that day, Kiffin indeed announced his move to LSU. Ole Miss swiftly filled the vacancy, promoting former defensive coordinator Pete Golding to head coach by the end of the day.
